Now more than ever, cardiac diseases have
sprung up as some of the leading causes of death in the world. Part of this may
be attributed to the rising trend in technologies wherein user convenience is
the goal. As a result, more people are living sedentary lives with little to
nil physical activity, which aggravates the risk of cardiovascular issues and
complications.

According to a study in 2001, cardiovascular
disease and stroke are among the top causes of death in the world. It may
no longer be a surprise nowadays to learn that a co-worker suddenly develops such
a condition. This is because too much stress accompanied with infrequent rest, increased
tobacco use and alcoholism may dampen the health of a person.

About Cardiovascular Diseases

Heart or cardiac disease involves a range
of conditions that affect the structures and functions of the heart. Such
diseases include:

Cardiovascular disease generally refers to
conditions that involve the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels that can
lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Certain cardiovascular diseases can be prevented when the person
adopts a healthy lifestyle.

Facts on Cardiovascular Diseases

Here are some interesting facts and figures
on cardiac diseases:

Cardiovascular diseases can
affect anyone. In fact, at least one member of any family and as close as first-degree
relatives may have this condition.

In the U.S. alone, about
610,000 people die of cardiovascular diseases each year. The most common type
of cardiovascular disease is coronary
artery disease,which accounts
for more than 300,000 deaths annually. Coronary artery disease is the narrowing
of the coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart.

Non-Hispanic blacks and non-Hispanic
whites have higher risks of developing this disease primarily due to their
lifestyle. Meanwhile, the health
condition is second only to stroke among American Indians or Alaska Natives, as
well as Asians or Pacific Islanders.

At least 69.1% of males aged 60-79
years old have cardiovascular disease. This increases as the person gets older.
About two-thirds of all coronary vascular disease death occurs in individuals
aged 75 years old.

In 2011, cardiovascular disease
is the top leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older.

A very surprising discovery
from a Danish study claims that people with thighs that measure less than
23.62 inches (60 cm) in circumference have a higher risk of developing heart
disease.

Some medications can prevent a
stroke caused by cardiovascular disease. However, in Seattle, roughly 16% of
patients treated outside the confines of the hospital have survived the disease.

In another study, researchers
suggest that women who stay up late or sleep less than eight hours are more
prone to having heart disease.

Negative emotions and
depression are risk factors for heart attack or stroke.

About 40% of individuals who succumb
to a heart attack die even before they reach the hospital.

An enormous intake of food high
in fat and cholesterol puts one at risk of having constricted blood vessels.

Hypertension can be
asymptomatic but may damage not only the heart but the kidney and brain as
well.

People with poor oral health
are at high risk of developing atherosclerosis,
since the bacteria in the gums and teeth can enter the bloodstream and affect
blood clotting.

Almost 10% of the U.S.
population has undiagnosed patent foramen ovale, which increases their risk for stroke.

The death rate associated with
heart disease among African-American women is higher compared to Caucasian
women.

Heart Disease Symptoms

Symptoms of heart diseases may depend on
the type. Here are some of them, categorized by type of cardiovascular disease:

Atherosclerotic Disease

Pain, numbness, weakness or
coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body
are narrowed

Shortness of breath

Arrhythmias

Chest pain or discomfort

Dizziness

Fainting (syncope) or near
fainting

Fluttering in your chest

Lightheadedness

Racing heartbeat (tachycardia)

Shortness of breath

Slow heartbeat (bradycardia)

Congenital Heart Defects

Easily getting short of breath
during exercise or activity

Easily tiring during exercise
or activity

In an infant, shortness of
breath during feedings, leading to poor weight gain

Pale gray or blue skin color
(cyanosis)

Swelling in the hands, ankles
or feet

Swelling in the legs, abdomen
or areas around the eyes

Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Breathlessness with exertion or
at rest

Dizziness, lightheadedness, and
fainting

Fatigue

Irregular heartbeats that feel
rapid, pounding or fluttering

Swelling of the legs, ankles,
and feet

Heart Infections

A dry or a persistent cough

Changes in your heart rhythm

Fever

Shortness of breath

Skin rashes or unusual spots

Swelling in your legs or
abdomen

Weakness or fatigue

Valvular Heart Disease

Chest pain

Fainting (syncope)

Fatigue

Irregular heartbeat

Shortness of breath

Swollen feet or ankles

Causes of Cardiovascular Disease

The probable causes for developing a
cardiovascular disease depend on the type of heart disease. Here are some of
them:

Atherosclerosis

This is caused by the formation of plaque
around the blood vessels, making it difficult for the blood to flow normally. As
a result, the blockage in the blood vessels would prevent the heart from
receiving oxygenated blood.

Congenital Heart Defects

Congenital heart defects develop while the
baby is still inside the womb. This may sometimes be brought about by certain
medical conditions, genes, and medications. Adults may also develop heart
defects as they grow older due to the changes in the heart structure.

Cardiomyopathy

This condition refers to the thickening of
the heart muscle.

Dilated
cardiomyopathy

This may be caused by the reduced blood
flow to the heart following a heart attack or stroke.

Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy

This is caused by the abnormal thickening
of the heart muscles due to high blood pressure or age.

Restrictive
cardiomyopathy

This causes the heart to become rigid and
less elastic, which may be due to excessive build-up of iron and protein or
connective tissue disorders.

Heart Infection or Endocarditis

Bacteria

Parasites

Viruses

Valvular Heart Disease

Connective tissue disorders

Infections (infectious
endocarditis)

Rheumatic fever

Risk Factors

The risk factors for developing a
cardiovascular disease include:

Age

Diabetes

Family history

High blood pressure

High cholesterol levels

Obesity

Physical Inactivity

Poor diet – High in fat, salt,
sugar and cholesterol can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular
disease.

Poor Hygiene

Race

Sex

Smoking – Nicotine can cause
constriction of the blood vessels which can result to atherosclerosis.

At times, we may feel under so much
pressure that we end up getting stressed. If stress itself is a contributing
factor in developing a cardiovascular disease, this may be brought about by a
person’s way of dealing with stress. This may include eating more than the
usual, as well as smoking frequently.

Complications

Cardiovascular disease may lead to other
medical complications such as:

Diagnosis and Testing

Early detection is essential so that proper
medical care can be given. Cardiovascular diseases can be diagnosed based on
the patient’s medical and family history, a physical exam, risk factors, and
the results from laboratory tests performed.

The good thing is that home test kits are available
to detect the presence of fats, cholesterol, sugar, and proteins in your blood.
Abnormal levels may be a sign that you're at risk for CHD.

It may be impossible to diagnose the
disease by basing it solely on one test. Therefore, a combination of tests
should be performed for better confirmation. These tests include:

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

It is a painless test that detects and
records the heart's electrical activity. An EKG can show signs of heart damage
due to CHD and signs of a previous or current heart attack.

Stress Testing

This requires the patient to submit to an
exercise routine to make the heart work hard and beat fast. If exercising is
not possible, medicines that help to increase the heart rate may be prescribed.

Performing a stress test can show possible
signs and symptoms of CHD, such as:

Echocardiography

Also known as “echo”, echocardiography
makes use of sound waves to create a moving picture of your heart. Performing
this test determines the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart
chambers and valves are working.

Chest X-Ray

This common diagnostic tool creates images
of the organs and structures inside the chest, such as the heart, lungs, and
blood vessels. It can reveal signs of heart failure, lung disorders and other
causes of symptoms that may not be related to coronary heart disease.

Coronary Angiography and Cardiac Catheterization

This type of test makes use of dye and a
special x-ray to look inside the coronary arteries. This detects blockages in
the large coronary arteries.

Reduce risk factors in an
effort to slow, stop, or reverse the build-up of plaque

Relieve symptoms

Widen or bypass plaque-clogged
coronary (heart) arteries

Prevention is the key to having a good
health. This can only be achieved if we become more physically active, be more
careful in choosing the kind of food that we eat, and choose to have a positive
perspective on life.